KURZ Case Studie in fighting the counterfeit of drugs

On the Ivory Coast, where up to 60% of the medicines in circulation may be counterfeited, KURZ, in partnership with PROFILABEL, developed an accessible and efficient solution to protect drugs against tampering, especially those intended for malaria treatment.

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Home >> Solutions >> Anti-counterfeiting Case

CLIENTE

Profilabel + Ivory Coast

PUBLICAÇÃO DO PROJETO

TTR KURZ

SOLUÇÃO

Original case here.

Successful project in Ivory Coast. A case study about smart labeling in pharmaceutical industry.

NOSSO DESAFIO

Protect lives and pharmaceutical brands in high-risk markets.

The counterfeit of medicines represents a global threat, but critically affects developing countries, where the inspection and infrastructure may be limited. On the Ivory Coast, the distribution of malaria drugs is particularly sensitive, since this disease has high incidence in the region.

The main challenges include:

Alarming rates of falsification
Up to 30 to 60% of the medicines may be tampered, according to WHO.

Public health risk
Incorrect or contaminated formulas may delay the treatment and even result in deaths.

Economic losses
The pharmaceutical companies go through billionaire losses worldwide due to counterfeit of products.

Inefficient verification
In many cases, there is no simple and cheap method to confirm the authenticity of the product throughout the supply chain.

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Solution: TTR Unique UV of KURZ allied to the smart labeler eMATRIX® T1108

KURZ developed a special thermotransfer ribbon — TTR Unique UV — that incorporates security information invisible to the naked eye, but which may be quickly checked under ultraviolet light. However, PROFILABEL adapted its table labeler eMATRIX® T1108 A to print and apply the security seals directly on the blisters of medicines.

The solution includes:

Ribbon TTR Unique UV

Invisible security is guaranteed by fluorescent text, logo, or marks that only appear under UV light. Additionally, the customization allows the pre-configuration of variable data, such as batch number or logo of the client. With a low additional investment, it is sufficient to replace the conventional ribbon with TTR Unique UV with no need of extra hardware.

Labeler eMATRIX® T1108 A

With a versatile design, the machine allows fast adjustment for different sizes of blister or outer packs, guaranteeing facility of integration with the simplified change of the ribbon and of the label roll in a few steps. Additionally, its ecological solution saves resources, keeping a high performance and reducing waste.

Automatized labeling process

Blisters sent from France to the Ivory Coast are removed of the original packing, labeled with the TTR Unique UV ribbon, and put in the outer pack again, receiving a unique batch code. This code, together with the fluorescent mark, guarantees the authenticity of the medicine.

Result: Efficient and accessible protection against counterfeits

The implementation of TTR Unique UV together with eMATRIX® T1108 A brought real benefits to the pharmaceutical supply chain:

Simplified verification
Any person with an UV flashlight — of minimum cost — may evidence the authenticity of the medicine.

Drastic reduction in fraud
The invisible marking makes the counterfeiters’ action difficult, who do not easly identify the security resource.

Competitive costs
The ribbon directly replaces the traditional supply of thermotransfer printing, keeping the same production line, and requiring low additional investment.

Strengthened reliability
Pharmacies, hospitals, and consumers start to trust in the origin of the medicines, reinforcing the image of the pharmaceutical brand.

<b>Result:</b> Efficient and accessible protection against counterfeits

Differential: Global partnership and continuous innovation

KURZ consolidates its leadership position in printing and security solutions through strategic partners:

Collaboration with market leaders

The union of forces with PROFILABEL resulted in an integrated solution of hardware and supply, creating a successful pilot project on the Ivory Coast.

Invisible innovation

Upon providing a printing that may not be detected to the naked eye, KURZ makes the counterfeiters’ work more complex, protecting products and consumers.

Simplicity of adoption

The use of TTR Unique UV in a conventional labeler keeps the usual production stages, reducing complexity and implementation costs.

Scalable solution

The technology may be easily applied in different lines of medicines, adjusting the customization according to every pharmaceutical need.